Left with an alien babysitter while their parents go out for the evening, two children embark on a remarkable night that is reminiscent of classic science-fiction stories. By the award-winning author of Polar Bear Night.

A little girl who loves to dance at home and dreams of performing in front of audiences feels so self-conscious in ballet class that she has trouble focusing, a dilemma that challenges her rehearsals for an end-of-year recital.

Falling asleep only to find herself in a nightmare filled with snarling beasties, a plucky little girl and her stuffed T-Rex use problem solving and quick thinking to turn the tables on the silly monsters and assert that she is the boss of her own dreams.

A whimsical, imagination-sparking story for young nature lovers by the author of I Will Always Be Happy to See You finds a little boy discovering an egg and considering a creative assortment of possibilities that might hatch from it.

Sometimes you’ve just got to work it out. Follow along as a bad mood pesters a young boy and ends up rubbing off on all those around him. After a frustrating day under his version of a little dark cloud, he discovers that ultimately working through your feelings and emotions begins with you. This unique picture book contains no words so readers are left to “read” the story by interpreting the unique illustrations themselves.

A story about the importance of cherishing old friendships while making new ones features two best friends who figure out how to stay connected using a little imagination when one of them has to move away.

The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank by David Lee Miller & Steven Jay Rubin. Illus by Elizabeth Baddeley.

A lyrical picture book account of the story of Anne Frank’s life in the Amsterdam annex is presented from the viewpoint of Peter’s cat, Mouschi, who observes the young girl as she writes in her diary and dreams of freedom.

Diligently baking cakes while his undersea neighbors swim, hide and blow bubbles, a little crab carries out a small act of bravery in the face of a disaster to help his community unite and carry on. By the creator of Accident!

Little Croc is small, but he has a big voice and loves to sing. The other animals don’t like his snap-snap song and send him away. Croc asks some birds to teach him their song, hoping to be accepted. All goes well until he gets carried away, snap-snaps in the middle of the song, and is sent away. As he sings sadly by the river, his song attracts an unexpected crowd of admirers.

Invited to her big sister’s tea party on the condition that she mind her manners and refrain from ninja activities, a younger bunny sibling quickly finds the party boring and tries to find more common ground for them both. By the creator of the Chick ‘n’ Pug series.

Enter a mystical world where a man and his strange pet lizard attempt to lure luminous flying creatures to their town. Through innovative, wordless storytelling and wonderfully detailed panel illustrations that invite children to use their imagination, this story will light up the lives of those in search of direction and allow each reader to interpret it according to their own unique vision of the world.

A comforting exploration of the wisdom of nature and its relationship to the human world celebrates how all living things are connected. Illustrated by the award-winning artist of Over and Under the Snow.

Forced to continue her journey to America alone when her mother is stopped by the health inspector, young Gittel arrives at Ellis Island to discover that the ink on the paper containing her relative’s contact information has become illegible.

Illustrated in Carle’s signature collage-paper style, a birthday gift book for fans young and old finds the Very Hungry Caterpillar celebrating everyone’s special day with colorful birthday surprises, including presents, balloons and yummy cake.

A young camper who is as happy as a clam and his best friend, a clam who is a happy camper, enjoy a sadness-free world of daisies, sunshine and best friendship, until one of them eats an entire cake and forgets to share. By the creator of Archie the Daredevil Penguin.

A vibrantly illustrated sequence of woodland creatures tunnel, gnaw and otherwise build cozy homes for their growing families until the woods come alive with the peeping, crawling and snuggling of baby animals.

Two wolf pups frisk through the woods, listening to the noisy onomatopoeic sounds of other woodland creatures before returning to their pack, in a celebration of the interconnectedness of forest life by the award-winning author of The Cuckoo’s Haiku.

Entering a bullfighting competition in the hope of winning a lifetime supply of the churros she dearly loves, little Maria orchestrates a creative agreement with an overtired bull to perform a spectacular dance to win their spectators’ hearts.

A tongue-in-cheek guide to everything soccer by a kid-expert who has been playing for nearly three weeks shares one-of-a-kind advice, from why you don’t want to bring your own referee whistle to what to do with your hands when you cannot touch the ball.

An engaging counting and time-telling story features a curious little monkey who wants to catch the tasty-looking minutes on his forest’s minute tree before they are gone. By the award-winning creator of Red: A Crayon’s Story.

Muddle and Mo are the best of friends. Muddle is a lovable, slightly confused yet enthusiastic little duckling. Mo is a long-suffering, not very adventurous goat who dislikes the rain. On a rainy day, Muddle discovers the fun of jumping and splashing around in puddles, but Mo refuses to join in. Will Mo change his mind? A simple and fun read that will have children waiting for a rainy day to play in.

An exuberant Narwhal and a skeptical Jelly test the waters of adding a new friend to their pod when they meet Otty, a super-adventurous otter who triggers relatable feelings of jealousy in Jelly in spite of their shared love of waffles. By the creator of Mo’s Mustache. Narwhal and Jelly No. 4

When a rat family moves into the ground floor of their bustling animal apartment building, all the critter tenants except the happy upstairs bunnies succumb to jitters, panic and worse, before the rats say hello with a delicious homemade cake.

Happily anticipating the arrival of their newest chicks, Mama and Papa watch as the first two babies hatch, while a third resists breaking out of his shell until he receives helpful reassurance from family members, in an endearing adaptation of the classic fairy tale.

Ideally suited for read-aloud sharing, a poetry collection for young pony lovers features short, rhyming entries that explore cowgirl dreams, equestrian activities and time spent with a special pony friend. By the author of I Have a Little Seedling.

Unable to play for a little while when she gets sick, Jeli the bear takes doctor-prescribed medication that turns her fur purple and receives colorful and caring support from friends who help her see that there is more to her than what shows on the outside.

Indignant when her royal life is upended by the adoption of an ill-mannered puppy, pampered kitty Princess Puffybottom tries everything, from trickery to sabotage, to reclaim top status with her human subjects. By the award-winning author of Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom.

A picture book celebration of animal rescue is based on the true story of an orphaned sea otter who is helped by a loving rescuer to recover and flourish in a new home at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Illustrated by the creator of Officer Panda.

Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book About Food and Farming by Lisl H Detlefsen. Illus by Renée Kurilla.

What’s that you say? You’re hungry? Right this very minute? Then you need a farmer. You have the stories of so many right here on your table. Award winners Lisl H. Detlefsen and Renée Kurilla’s delicious celebration of food and farming is sure to inspire readers of all ages to learn more about where their food comes from — right this very minute!

A riotous story about the importance of looking out for one’s friends finds a sheep expert on her own species busily assisting a sheep dog that she doesn’t believe is up to the job of protecting her flock.

Hatching out of an egg with a detective’s hat and magnifying glass, Sherlock Chick, the fuzzy little sleuth, learns that his family’s feed bin has been raided and follows a mysterious trail of corn, questioning animals along the way. By the award-winning creator of Henry the Duck. Sherlock Chick No. 1

A boy and girl explore a year’s worth of their changing emotions, demonstrating healthy expressions of positive and negative feelings on days they characterize as “angels in the snow days” and “need my mommy now days.” By the best-selling author of Goodnight, Little Bot.

Dreaming of being a star despite always being in her perfect big sister’s shadow, a little girl is comforted by her loving grandfather, who tells her how everything and everyone is made of stardust and that we all shine in different ways.

A STEM-friendly, laugh-out-loud introduction to metamorphosis depicts a nervous and very impatient little caterpillar who nudges a fellow caterpillar for facts about their transformation while struggling to wait through a long stretch in his cocoon.

A little girl with a bad case of the sniffles waits for her cold to run its course with the help of a comfy bed, a nice window view, warm socks, Grandma’s chicken soup, Dad’s silly jokes and a bit of time and patience. By the best-selling author of Miss Brooks Loves Books.

Two polar bear friends engage in thrillingly imaginative adventures as they dream up heroically creative solutions to a variety of possible situations, supporting each other whenever anything gets big and scary.

Waking up groggy after a long winter nap, young William and his animal friends prepare for the arrival of a very special guest by cleaning, decorating and baking a tasty treat, tasks that are complicated by their sleepiness and temptingly cozy bed. By the creators of William’s Winter Nap.

Excitedly packing mashed potatoes and extra pickles for a fun-filled camping trip with her pals, Wordy Birdy lands in hot water when the dastardly Mr. Cougarpants stalks their campsite. By the author of Chicken Dance.